Easy Sugar-Free Cherry Sauce Recipe without Cornstarch (2024)

by Karla

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Easy Sugar-Free Cherry Sauce Recipe without Cornstarch (1)

Sugar-free cherry sauce without cornstarch is SO easy to make and crazy tasty. My favorite cherry sauce recipe makes an amazing cherry dipping sauce, is perfect as a pancake or waffle topper (my FAV) or eaten by the spoonful (my 2 year old’s preference).

CHERRY SAUCE WITHOUT CORNSTARCH

I originally made this cherry sauce recipe to go on top of my coconut flour waffles, and now my children request it whenever I make the waffles.

I oblige because I love it just as much as them, and this easy cherry sauce is completely sugar free. I make this cherry sauce without cornstarch because I prefer to use arrowroot instead.

That makes this cherry sauce Paleo, sugar-free, gluten-free, grain-free and sugar free (but still full of flavor!).

SUGAR FREE CHERRY SAUCE RECIPE

When I say this cherry sauce is sugar free, I don’t mean it has stevia or xylitol, or any other sugar substitute added.

I mean is that there is absolutely no sugar or sugar substitute in this recipe.

Most fruit and cherry sauce recipes have some type of sugar in them, but I have never understood why since fruit is nature’s candy! I find cherries to be plenty sweet on their own, so you won’t find ANY sweeteners in this recipe. We use this sauce as a topping for our coconut flour waffles instead of syrup for a completely sugar free breakfast that tastes like a treat. WIN!

Easy Sugar-Free Cherry Sauce Recipe without Cornstarch (2)

SIMPLE CHERRY SAUCE

The thing that makes this cherry sauce recipe so simple is that it uses frozen cherries instead of fresh.

Yes, fresh cherries would probably be even MORE delicious, but who has time to pit a bowl full of cherries when you are trying to get breakfast served to a gang (3 counts as a gang, right?) of hungry kids? Not me!

Plus, cherries are only in season for a few short months, but my family likes to enjoy this cherry dipping sauce all year.

CHERRY SAUCE RECIPE WITH FROZEN CHERRIES

I buy the giant bag of organic frozen cherries from Costco and they are amazing in this recipe. They are the dark, sweet variety – you want to make sure you use sweet cherries, not tart in this recipe.

(These frozen cherries are also amazing in smoothies, chopped and added to oatmeal, by themselves eaten straight from the freezer…..I could go on for days. We are super in love with frozen cherries around here).

You could also make this easy fruit sauce with blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or a combination of any of those.

I’ve used the exact same fruit sauce recipe with blueberries and it turned out wonderful. My family prefers the cherry sauce, so that is what I typically stick with.

THE BEST PALEO SAUCE THICKENER

I use Arrowroot as a thickening agent in my cherry sauce, and it works wonderfully! Arrowroot is a great paleo sauce thickener, and works for all kinds of gravies and sauces.

Arrowroot poweder is, in my opinion, far under-utilized in most kitchens! It has been getting lots of love from me lately as a thickener for sauces and in all of my grain-free baked recipes to enhance the texture of baked goods.

I avoid many corn products because I am not interested in feeding my family GMO’s, so arrowroot is a wonderful alternative to cornstarch.

HOW TO MAKE CHERRY SAUCE

Cherry sauce is so easy to make! It is a simple reduction of cherries with a little liquid and a paleo friendly sauce thickener that comes together in just a few minutes. You will love this sugar-free version with no cornstarch – it tastes like a treat!

CHERRY SAUCE RECIPE

Easy Sugar-Free Cherry Sauce Recipe without Cornstarch (3)

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Easy Sugar-Free Cherry Sauce Recipe without Cornstarch

This quick and easy sugar free cherry sauce uses only a few ingredients, comes together in minutes and is delicious on top of waffles, pancakes, ice cream or desserts.

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2cupsfrozen pitted sweet cherries
  • 1/2tspvanilla extract
  • 2tbswater
  • 1tbsarrowroot powder

Instructions

  1. Add frozen cherries and vanilla to a medium saucepan and heat over medium/high heat just until boiling and all cherries are defrosted

  2. Mix arrowroot powder in a small bowl with 2 Tbs water until it is dissolved

  3. Add arrowroot mixture to just boiling cherries

  4. Stir sauce until thickened. This should happen very quickly if the cherries are boiling.

  5. Remove from heat once desired thickness is reached and serve

Recipe Notes

makes about 1 and 1/3 cups finished cherry sauce. This is enough for 4-5 waffles for us.

Looking for a healthy recipe you can top with this cherry sauce? Try my coconut flour waffles – its the perfect combination.

Easy Sugar-Free Cherry Sauce Recipe without Cornstarch (4)

Easy Sugar-Free Cherry Sauce Recipe without Cornstarch (2024)

FAQs

How do you preserve cherries without sugar? ›

Cherries, pitted or with pits, may be frozen without sugar, in water or unsweetened fruit juice, or dry, but the texture will be softer when thawed. Sweet cherries may be frozen in a single layer on shallow trays before packing into containers or zip-type plastic bags to prevent them from sticking together.

What is cherry sauce made of? ›

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan. Stir in water. Add the cherries and cook until thick and bubbly.

What is the best way to preserve fresh cherries? ›

Remove any stems and pit the cherries. It's easier to remove cherry pits when they're fresh, so save yourself the hassle and pit them before freezing. You can cut the cherries if desired, but they can also be frozen whole. Place on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.

How to freeze cherries with sugar? ›

To 1 quart of cherries, add ¾ cup sugar. Mix until sugar dissolves. Pack into containers, leaving ½- to 1½- inch headspace depending on container. Seal, label, date and freeze.

How do you preserve fruit in a jar without sugar? ›

One is to coat the fruit as it is cut with a solution of 1 teaspoon crystalline ascorbic acid or 3,000 mg crushed vitamin C tablets per cup of water. Another is to drop the cut pieces in a solution of water and ascorbic acid, citric acid, or lemon juice.

How do you keep cherries fresh in a Mason jar? ›

The cherries that have stems, I will put them into a half gallon or gallon sized mason jar with a paper towel at the bottom. The mason jar of cherries should be stored in the fridge and they will last for about three weeks. The bowl of cherries should also be placed in the fridge, but be sure to eat those first!

How much sugar is in cherry sauce? ›

Calories in Cherry Sauce
Calories114.0
Potassium217.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate29.1 g
Dietary Fiber1.5 g
Sugars24.9 g
8 more rows

What is a glazed cherry called? ›

Maraschino cherries are a popular topping for ice cream sundaes and used in certain co*cktails or as garnishes for foods like glazed ham, parfaits, milkshakes, cakes, and pastries.

Why do you brine cherries? ›

The object of preserving cherries with brine is to bleach the fruit to an even, light straw color so that the subsequent dyeing will give the desired shade. It also firms the tissue so that the cherry will retain its original shape throughout the remanufacturing processes and subsequent life in commercial channels.

What to do with too many cherries? ›

Sweet
  1. Chocolate Cherry Layer Cake. Vicky Wasik. ...
  2. Cherry Ice Cream. ...
  3. Classic Cherry Clafoutis. ...
  4. Cherry Pit Syrup. ...
  5. Easy Stovetop Cherry Grunt (Stovetop Cobbler) ...
  6. Sweet-Sour Macerated Cherries With Marcona Almonds, Mint, and Ricotta. ...
  7. Cherry and Jicama Salad With Lime and Macadamia Nuts. ...
  8. Peppered Duck Breasts With Cherry-Port Sauce.

Do cherries last longer in the fridge or on the counter? ›

Keep 'em cold! Cherries will spoil quickly if left out at room temperature, so you should pop them in the refrigerator immediately upon getting home from the grocery store. Once in the fridge, cherries can last for about a week.

Can fresh cherries be frozen for later use? ›

Cherries will last in the freezer for around 6 months but will be fine up to a year when properly frozen. This means you can enjoy the sweet taste of cherries year-round, even when the cherry season is over.

Can you freeze cherries without sugar? ›

You can also try freezing without any sugar. Just boil the water, add the cherries, bring back to a boil and then ladle out when cool enough to work with. Freeze.

Can dogs eat cherries? ›

However, their pit, leaves, and stems all contain cyanide, which is toxic to dogs. Be careful that your dog does not eat these parts of a cherry. When the pit, leaves, and stem are removed, fresh cherries are completely fine for healthy puppies and adult dogs—in small portions.

How to store cherries long term? ›

Pit each cherry and spread them out, so that they are not touching, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Freeze the fruit for at least two hours, or until mostly solid, and then transfer to a freezer-safe bag.

How do you store cherries so they last longer? ›

Room temperature storage results in dull-colored skins and soft fruit within a few days. Instead, store cherries uncovered in the refrigerator as soon as you bring them home. This way, they'll stay fresh for up to a week, if not longer.

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